Dear Colleague: This is an exercise that
can help students understand the differences between popular culture icons and
significant, historical figures. The students are required to examine the
political, cultural, and familial backgrounds of the women studied, and also to
understand the impact each woman may have had on society. This may be a
good lesson for Women's History month in March.

This lesson is to compare women of power or influence with popular
women of today. This is to determine if there are differences between
historically significant figures and the current pop icons. The students
are to research the political and cultural environments surrounding the
individuals, as well as their influence on their society and others.

NCSS Theme: Time, Continuity, and
Change

Days:7

Content: Research on family
background, educational background, careers, and contributions to society will
be conducted. In addition, students will need to research the
political, economical, social, and cultural environment each individual lived
in.

The webquest will be used for students to
easily navigate the web and find pertinent information on the assigned
individuals and their backgrounds,in order to complete the lesson.

Days:
2

Content: The students will alsouse the webquest as a tool to discover political environments, and social
norms from different eras. The students will then, once research is
complete, make a recommendation for a lifetime achievement award for one of the
two women studied, and in what particular area the woman was accomplished
in.

Methods: Inquiry model and group work will
be used to collect information for the presentation on the assigned women.
Four students per group, each with an assigned area, 1) personal and family
background information including parents, also the social, cultural, and
political setting; 2) educational background, job history, and career; 3) Her
contributions to society and what she is most known for; 4) Her influence on
society (then and now if applicable) and future
societies.

A brief quiz (for fun, not a grade) on women's
history. Students will break into their groups of four, and
together each group will answer the quiz. The group with the most
correct answers will choose their two women to study first. If
there are ties in the scoring, one team will choose a woman from one
category and the other team will choose a woman from the other category,
the teacher decides which group starts with what category. They
will then each choose from the other category.

students should get together and discuss all the
information they have gathered, each group will be required to make a
presentation on the material, so the individuals in each group need to
decide who is responsible for which area.

each group needs to decide the direction their
presentation will go, and to organize their thoughts, discuss their
issues, and to finalize the plans for the presentation. each
student has his or her part of the project, and either all need to meet
over the weekend to collaborate on a power point presentation, or
another type of presentation needs to be decided upon. There must
be at least 1 visual aide. Before leaving class, each group must
report to the teacher that they are satisfied with the division of
work.

The students will have learned about the
political environment, cultural significance, and social norms of other times or
in other areas of the world. The class will also learn about the changes
in the way in which women are perceived.